The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 15th February 2023
by Mike Evans
Good day to you all and we start this report with the results of the recent Excess Speed Campaign which took place across the country from the 31st January to the 6th February. Whilst this campaign was countrywide the Algarve was unfortunately one of the areas where we saw two deaths associated with driving too fast.
More than 16,000 drivers were caught by speeding cameras during the road safety campaign “Travel without haste”, which ran from January 31 to February 6, revealed this week to GNR .
According to the note released by that security force, which jointly coordinated the initiative with the PSP and the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), a total of 2,763,415 vehicles were monitored during this period on radars, with 16,154 registering speeding offences in the national territory. The vast majority of vehicles were inspected at the ANSR speed controls, with 2,352,713 vehicles, while the GNR monitored 269,343 and the PSP controlled 141,359.
However, it was the security forces that detected the highest number of infractions on their radars, with a total of 8,659, distributed among 6,097 in the GNR control systems and 2,562 in the PSP, while the ANSR registered 7,495 infractions for speeding.
During this period, 2,501 accidents were recorded, which resulted in eight deaths (all male), 40 serious injuries and 738 minor injuries.
Compared to the same period of 2022, the data show an increase in the number of accidents (279 more) and minor injuries (131 more), with only a decrease in the number of deaths (three less) and serious injuries (three less) .
The GNR statement also clarifies that the eight accidents which resulted in fatalities took place in the districts of Braga (2), Lisbon (2), Faro (2), Coimbra and Santarém. At the origin of these accidents were one being run over, four collisions, two motorcycles skidding on a straight line and a light vehicle on a curve.
All too often we all see what we feel is unnecessary speeding on the roads especially the non motorway roads.
This campaign was continued for the following week this time in the Algarve, again by the GNR. The Faro Territorial Command of the National Republican Guard (GNR), reports that it carried out a number of operations in the district of Faro, from the 6th to the 12th of February, which was aimed at preventing and combating violent crime, and included road inspection of vehicles. As a result 711 infractions were detected during this period.
Of the total infractions detected in the Algarve region, the GNR highlights 259 for speeding, 49 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 35 for improper use of the mobile phone while driving, 32 related to anomalies in the lighting and signalling systems, 31 for lack or incorrect use of the seat belt and/or child restraint system and 29 for lack of civil liability insurance.
During the period in question, the national security force arrested 74 people with emphasis on 34 for driving under the influence of alcohol, (over 1.2g/l) 22 for driving without a driving licence and 4 for drug trafficking. If these operations lead to a reduction in accidents on our road then we should all be thankful.
Now let’s look at some of the other news from around the Algarve in the last week.
One Person Died in Road Collision in Lagos
A collision between a heavy goods vehicle and a light car caused one death this Saturday on National Road 125, in Lagos, according to Civil Protection . The road was closed for a length of time.
A spokesman for the Algarve Regional Civil Protection Command said that “death was declared on the spot”.The victim was trapped inside the light vehicle and was removed by emergency teams at the scene.
The collision took place at the entrance to Lagos and, according to information on the Civil Protection website, there were 22 operators supported by 11 vehicles.
New Bridge for Guadiana River Crossing
The work on the new bridge between Alcoutim and Sanlúcar de Guadiana, in Spain, is due to start in May 2024, so that it is possible to complete the work before the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 and guarantee the financing of €9 million of the Recovery Plan and Resilience (PRR).According to a report by Sul Informação, the tight schedule for the construction of the bridge was revealed in a presentation made by the Alcoutim Council during a working visit by Isabel Ferreira, Secretary of State for Regional Development, to Mértola and Alcoutim.
Osvaldo Gonçalves, president of the Alcoutim Chamber, admitted that there is only one month “reserved” for unforeseen events.
This month the designer of the bridge will be chosen, who will have to prepare the project for the execution of the bridge by the end of June (4 months).Meanwhile, the tender for contracting the Environmental Impact Assessment process has already taken place, which should start in February and last until August, the month in which Alcoutim Council hopes to have a favourable Environmental Impact Declaration in hand.
The execution period for the work is 19 months, a little over a year and a half, with completion scheduled for November 2025. In the following months, the work will be received and inspected.
The bridge will be built north of the village of Alcoutim, next to the Youth Hostel, and Sanlúcar de Guadiana, on the slope below the fortress.
The upper part of the deck will have to be located about 27 metres above the river water level, to allow the passage of masted vessels. The bridge deck should have a total length of about 318 metres, with a deck width of about 12 metres. Given its importance, the bridge will be designed for a useful life of 100 years.
Major Roadworks Start this Week in Portimao
Work on the new road in downtown Portimão started this week and will affect traffic during the six-month period estimated for the intervention, warned the Algarve Chamber.
The works will make it possible to build a “road connection between Largo 1.º de Novembro and Largo do Dique”, in the centre of Portimão, and “extend car circulation from Avenida Guanaré to Largo 1.º de Novembro”, justified the municipality in a communiqué.The same source indicated that the “contract has an estimated duration of six months” and includes the requalification of Largo do Dique, which will be “sealed” and with “suppressed parking” while the works are carried out.
The municipality recognized that the intervention will cause “changes and constraints to car circulation in the area, at public transport stops, taxis and in the parking lot” of Largo do Dique, but underlined that all will be “duly signposted throughout the surrounding area to facilitate the displacement of people and vehicles.”
“Given the impact that the intervention may have on the daily lives of motorists circulating in the area, the municipality of Portimão requests a better understanding of all, recommending the option of alternative routes whenever possible”, appealed the municipality of the district of Faro.
The Municipality of Portimão also recalled that, for the creation of this route, the municipality acquired two houses facing Rua Júdice Biker and Largo do Dique, in an investment of around 700,000 euros.
The two residences were demolished about a year ago and the intervention freed the area to now proceed with the construction of this new motorway, which will make it possible to connect two of the main squares in downtown Portimão.
Monchique Gets New Fire Plan
The Integrated Landscape Management Area, also known as the Monchique Green Corridor and formerly known as the Pilot Area, was presented on Friday, February 3, in the auditorium of the Manuel do Nascimento School, announced the municipality.
This green corridor aims to “change the situation of high vulnerability to rural fires , in a continuous peri-urban area, surrounding the village of Monchique, with about 1,217.95 hectares”, according to the statement.
To support the execution of this green corridor, the use of several specific multi-fund financial instruments is planned, such as the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with aid for interventions of 100% of the overall eligible amount, including expenses or unit costs.
The presentation session of this green corridor was attended by the executive of the Municipality of Monchique and the technicians responsible for the process, who presented information about the program and the adhesion to the future management entity.
Representatives of institutions and organised groups such as the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests also participated.
During the session, topics such as the main geographical characteristics of the intervention area, vulnerabilities to rural fires, options for creating the Management Entity, the advantages of grouping rural landowners, the objectives of transforming the forest landscape and financial support were also addressed. from the PRR to rural landowners.
The initiative also included a discussion on the various options for creating the management entity, with the municipality arguing “the option for the path of local associations, compared to the business option, because it is the one that brings the most advantages and that best defends the interests of the communities”. populations, landowners and local actors”.
The Municipality of Monchique, in addition to being co-responsible, will also play key roles in transferring knowledge, supporting procedural management and providing technical assistance throughout all phases of the project.With the objective of constituting the association, at the end of the session, forms were distributed for pre-adherence of rural landowners to the future management entity.
Car Skid claims Life of Woman in Silves Municipality
A 69-year-old woman died this Friday after a light vehicle crashed on National Road (EN) 264 in São Bartolomeu de Messines , Silves municipality, said a Civil Protection source.
The alert for the accident in Ladeira da Bernarda was given at 18:25 and the death was declared on the spot, said a source from the Algarve Sub-regional Command.
Following the crash of the light vehicle, two other people suffered minor injuries, having been transported to the Portimão Hospital , he added.
On site were elements of the Volunteer Firefighters of São Bartolomeu de Messines, INEM and GNR, a total of 13 operational, supported by six vehicles.
PSP detain 3 Suspects in Assault of Nepalese Immigrant in Olhao
The PSP this Monday detained three young people for assaulting a Nepalese immigrant in Olhão, with a total of 11 identified, between 14 and 16 years old, for participating or witnessing the acts.
Faro district commander of the PSP , Dário Prates, said that the three young people arrested, all aged 16, are “the most active and violent” of the group, made up of eight boys and three girls, all students and residents of Olhão. “It was possible to relate this group to eight occurrences, five for robberies and three for assaults, in the month of January alone”, he underlined, adding that today’s police operation aimed at “gathering evidence by carrying out six house searches”, as well as such as the arrest of three of the most active young people, with a view to their presentation to the court.
According to the district commander of that security force, the PSP viewed more than 20,000 videos, as well as hundreds of hours of images collected by the video surveillance circuit cameras installed in the city of Olhão, images that proved to be “essential for the investigation”, as well as having Several witnesses come forward.
The aggression committed against the Nepalese immigrant in Olhão, which became public with the dissemination of a video on social networks, was condemned by the Portuguese authorities, who consider it to be “unacceptable behaviour” that must be “exemplarily punished”.
In addition to the violent aggression, which took place on January 25, the group stole the victim’s backpack, who did not press charges.
Until the next time Good Day- Bom Dia.